Ophthalmic examination chair having tilt drive assembly

Abstract

An ophthalmic examination chair includes a seat for supporting a patient thereon, a support base for supporting the seat, a tilt guide assembly for tiltably moving the seat with respect to the support base, and a tilt driving assembly. The tilt driving assembly includes a motor operatively connected with a drive element and a drive transmission element operatively connected with the drive element. The drive transmission element is further operatively connected with the seat for moving the seat when the motor is activated.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An ophthalmic examination chair comprising:
 a seat for supporting a patient thereon, 
 a support base for supporting the seat, 
 a tilt guide assembly for tiltably moving the seat with respect to the support base, 
 a tilt driving assembly including a motor operatively connected with a drive element and an elongate, curved drive transmission element directly connected with the drive element, wherein the elongate, curved drive transmission element is further operatively connected with the seat for moving the seat when the motor is activated, and 
 a frame assembly, the seat supported by the frame assembly, the frame assembly including an elongate, curved frame arm, the elongate, curved drive transmission element extending lengthwise along the elongate, curved frame arm to define a curved path, and the elongate, curved drive transmission element being driven by the drive element when the motor is activated to tiltably move the seat along the curved path. 
 
     
     
       2. The ophthalmic examination chair of  claim 1 , wherein the elongate, curved frame arm is a first elongate, curved frame arm and the frame assembly further including a second elongate, curved frame arm, the tilt guide assembly including track components associated with the first and second elongate, curved frame arms and guide components associated with the support base. 
     
     
       3. The ophthalmic examination chair of  claim 2 , the track components including a curved slot formed in each of the first and second elongate, curved frame arms and the guide components including rollers carried by the support base, the rollers engaging the curved slots. 
     
     
       4. The ophthalmic examination chair of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the drive transmission element is integrated with the elongate, curved frame arm. 
 
     
     
       5. The ophthalmic examination chair of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the motor provides more torque than is necessary for moving the seat. 
 
     
     
       6. The ophthalmic examination chair of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the motor provides 128 inch-pounds of torque at 8.8 revolutions per minute. 
 
     
     
       7. The ophthalmic examination chair of  claim 1 , wherein the motor is capable of using back EMF to lock the rotation of the motor's drive shaft for preventing movement of the seat.